Woods Will Miss Masters With Back Injury

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 25: Tiger Woods plays a shot on the 5th hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 25, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

(CBS) Tigers Woods won’t play in the Masters after having back surgery last week, he announced on Twitter and his website.

[tweet https://twitter.com/TigerWoods/status/451024221053796353]

It’s the first time in 20 years that the 38-year-old Woods won’t play in the Masters, where he’s a four-time champion. The Masters start April 10.

A statement on Woods’ website said he has “undergone a successful microdiscectomy for a pinched nerve that has been hurting him for several months,” and it will require “rehabilitation for the next several weeks.”

“It’s tough right now, but I’m absolutely optimistic about the future,” Woods said. “There are a couple (of) records by two outstanding individuals and players that I hope one day to break. As I’ve said many times, Sam and Jack reached their milestones over an entire career. I plan to have a lot of years left in mine.”

Woods pulled out of the final round of the Honda Classic last month with back spasms, and he had acknowledged prior to Tuesday that his participation in the Masters was uncertain.